BILL NUMBER: AB 2001 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 25, 2012
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 1, 2012
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2012
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bonilla
FEBRUARY 23, 2012
An act to add Section 60604.6 to the Education Code, relating to
pupil assessment.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2001, as amended, Bonilla. Pupil assessment.
The Leroy Greene California Assessment of Academic Achievement Act
states the intent of the Legislature to provide a system of
individual assessment of pupils that has the primary purpose of
assisting teachers, administrators, and pupils and their parents to
improve teaching and learning. Existing law establishes the
Standardized Testing and Reporting Program pursuant to which each
school district, charter school, and county office of education is
required to administer to each of its pupils in grades 2 to 11,
inclusive, the standards-based achievement tests. These provisions
are inoperative on July 1, 2014, and as of January 1, 2015, are
repealed.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the
reauthorization of the statewide pupil assessment program include
specified plans to reform that program as it relates to grades 7 to
12, inclusive. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, in consultation with various groups of individuals and
entities, to develop and present to the State Board of Education, by
May 30, 2013, recommendations to effectuate those reforms. The bill
would require the state board to adopt, or modify and adopt, the
recommendations by September 30, 2013. The bill would require the
Superintendent and the state board to present to the Governor and the
appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a
schedule and implementation plan. The bill would authorize
require the State Department of Education to use
specified federal carryover funds and
or any other available and appropriate
state and federal funds to implement these provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
reauthorization of the statewide pupil assessment program pursuant to
Section 60604.5 of the Education Code include both of the following:
(a) A plan to bring together elementary and secondary school
policy leaders, the community colleges, the California State
University, the University of California, private colleges and
universities, and postsecondary career technical and vocational
programs to develop criteria and create nonpunitive
pathways in which assessments taken by middle and high school pupils
are aligned with college and career readiness and are recognized as
one of a number of multiple measures for entry into college and
career training.
(b) A plan for transitioning to a system of high-quality ,
nonpunitive assessments that has tangible meaning to
individual middle and high school pupils, including, but not limited
to, recognition and rewards for demonstrating mastery of subject
matter and progress toward mastery of subject matter.
SEC. 2. Section 60604.6 is added to the Education Code, to read:
60604.6. (a) For purposes of developing a plan to strengthen the
pupil relevance of assessments and to strengthen the alignment
between state-mandated middle and high school assessments and the
entry requirements of public and private colleges and universities
and postsecondary career and technical training institutions, the
Superintendent, in consultation with the state board, the segments of
public and private higher education, career technical and training
institutions, administrators of elementary and secondary schools,
teachers, members of the governing board of school districts, pupil
representatives, and parents, shall develop and recommend to the
state board all of the following:
(1) Principles among elementary and secondary schools, public and
private colleges and universities, and postsecondary career and
technical training institutions that would strengthen the alignment
of assessments of pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to the
requirements for entry into college or career opportunities.
(2) Options for using the results of an individual pupil
's grade 11 assessments in core subjects, including,
but not limited to, future early assessment programs, to provide
diagnostic information to teachers, administrators, parents, and
pupils that ensures appropriate placement in courses in grade 12 that
lead to stronger college and career-ready preparedness.
(3) Options for using the grade 11 assessment results in English
language arts as one tool to ensure effective placement for grade 12
English learners so they may strive for full English proficiency by
the time they graduate from high school.
(4) A plan and timeline to expand and strengthen future early
assessment programs to provide information to postsecondary
institutions, secondary schools, and pupils about pupil preparedness
for all California public institutions of postsecondary education,
including the community colleges, the California State University,
the University of California, private colleges and universities, and
postsecondary career training institutions.
(b) For purposes of developing a plan to make statewide
assessments more meaningful to pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive,
the Superintendent, in consultation with the state board,
administrators, teachers, members of the governing board of school
districts, pupil representatives, and parents, shall develop multiple
methods to provide for pupil recognition, reward, and incentives
that a local educational agency may adopt. These options may include,
but shall not be limited to, the following:
(1) Assessment performance as one component of a pupil's academic
transcript if requested by a pupil or his or her parent or
guardian .
(2) Assessment performance as one component of a final course
grade or course passage as determined by the teacher if the course
substantially aligns with the grade level content standards assessed.
(3) Assessment performance as one criterion for eligibility for
merit-based scholarships, recognition programs, and internship
opportunities.
(4) The right of a pupil to be exempted from the requirement to
take and pass the California high school exit examination if he or
she can demonstrate proficiency on other assessments that are found
to be substantially equivalent in terms of rigor and content assessed
notwithstanding Section 60615 .
(5) The right of a pupil to be exempted from other required
statewide assessments if equivalent or more rigorous exams are taken
and equivalent or sufficiently comparable subject matter proficiency
is shown.
(6) Making future early assessment programs available to all
pupils at all schools.
(c) The Superintendent shall present recommendations to the state
board on or before May 30, 2013. After the Superintendent presents
the recommendations, two public hearings shall be held during
regularly scheduled state board meetings to ensure public input and
participation.
(d) On or before September 30, 2013, the state board shall adopt,
or modify and adopt, the recommendations.
(e) The Superintendent and the state board shall present to the
Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the
Legislature a schedule and implementation plan that meets the intent
of this section.
(f) The department may shall use
federal carryover funds received pursuant to Title I of the
federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et
seq.), available funds received pursuant to Title VI of the
federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et
seq.), and or any other available
and appropriate state and federal funds to implement this
section.